Captain James L. Dunn, left, a Riviera native, receives a Ship’s Wheel Shadow Box, from John Viet, Commander COMOG, in a retirement ceremony Dec. 18. The shadow box contains awards and medals earned by Dunn during his 29-year military career with the Navy. Riviera native Capt. James L. Dunn has retired after a stellar career with the United States Navy in a ceremony held at NAS Corpus Christi Dec. 18.

Dunn, a United States Naval Academy graduate, served 29 years in the U.S. Navy.

He has been awarded the Legion of Merit twice, the Meritorious Service Medal twice, the Navy Commendation Medal three times and the Navy Achievement Medal, and also other unit and campaign medals.

Dunn, was born in Riviera, Texas, and was the oldest child of four children. His parents are Kenneth C. Dunn, USN (Ret.) and Nelda F. Dunn. He graduated from Leo Kaufer High School in Riviera in 1976.

He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1976 and was commissioned an Ensign in May 1980.

Dunn attended Navy Supply Corps School in Athens, Georgia, and submarine school in Groton, Connecticut from July 1980 until May 1981.

He served as supply officer aboard the USS Benjamin Franklin until May 1984. After three months in the shipyard in Kittery, Maine, he completed post overhaul inspections and mad three Trident Strategic Deterrent Patrols.

He was then assigned to as Assistant Supply officer with Naval Air Station Kingsville. He provided all facets of logistics and services support to the base. In March 1986, he reported to the USS Holland where he served as Stores Officer and then Stock Control and ADAP officer until June 1989.

After a very successful tour on board Holland, he was selected to serve on the staff of Commander Submarine Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet as the Supply Operations and Force Information Systems Officer.

He served there until March 1991 when he was requested to serve as Assistant Supply Officer on board USS John F. Kennedy.

He made several Mediterrean deployments onboard and participated in Operations Hope and Provide Comfort and was responsible for over 700 people.

In July 1994, he reported to the Program Executive Office, ASW and Special Missions in Washington D.C. as the Business Financial Manager for PMS-271, E-6 Airborne Command Post that was a $750 million program.

He was assigned in 1997 as Officer in Charge, Fleet and Industrial Support Center Detachment in Ingleside, until 2000 supporting 27 ships and numerous commands on base. He then reported to Commander Fleet Air, Western Pacific in Atsugi, Japan as ACOS for Logistics where he managed aviation logistics for the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean.

He also served as Commander Pacific Fleet’s Executive Agent for all air logistics in the western Pacific from Hawaii to Bahrain.

In July 2003, he reported to his current assignment as ACOS for Logistics and BRAC Special Assistant and the last several months as Chief of Staff Naval Mine and Anti-Warfare Command in Corpus Christi.

Dunn is married to the former Delia Mendietta of Kingsville. The couple have a son, James Lee II and daughter Heather Marie. The family lives in Portland.